Thread: использовать VS пользоваться

So I get the fact that пользоваться is возьвратный глагол и несовершенный вид. I also get the fact that использовать is not возьвратный глагол and is both несовершенный and совершенный. But I could really use more elaboration and maybe some examples to get the difference between them... I'll appreciate the help

Я использовал телефон для звонка другу - I used the phone to call a friend
Я пользовался (воспользовался) телефоном, когда звонил другу - I have been used the phone when I called a friend
Телефон использовался для совершения звонка другу - A phone was used to make a call to a friend

Anyway, you can use both the words. They are synonyms.

Originally Posted by vikk

Я пользовался (воспользовался) телефоном, когда звонил другу - I have been used the phone when I called a friend

That sentence doesn't work. "I have used the phone...."?
Maybe like "A phone was used by me when I called a friend.". It's hard to translate things like that when there's such a gap between meaning and use, in english. Like, that sentence is unuseable.

Originally Posted by xXHoax

That sentence doesn't work. "I have used the phone...."?
Maybe like "A phone was used by me when I called a friend.". It's hard to translate things like that when there's such a gap between meaning and use, in english. Like, that sentence is unuseable.

Oh, thanks You are right - "I have used the phone when I called a friend". I made a mistake